The crowd sprung from their hiding spots, darting to the Pillar, flailing weapons and roars. I was late to the call; even Juke went ahead without me, but once I got my bearings, I sprinted in with my tendril brandished.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡamya0d1RTA
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The truth was, though I ran with purpose, I hadn't the slightest clue what to do. I looked left and right and observed the other members of the crowd. Some took up battles with guarding Bringers, others continued their onslaught. I slowed down, thinking of offering my help, but the crowd members made their adeptness in combat immediately known to me. As assuring as it was to see, it left me lodged in place. I looked around frantically, shaking sweat off my head with every turn.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdmivApBUTR
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"Kid! Over here!"209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvS4LN4Jxgp
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A voice called out to me– Juke's, and immediately I was brought back to the moment. He stood near the entrance of the Pillar, and to that destination I dashed. My head turned left and right rapidly, and I had to duck a few too many times to avoid getting caught in the crossfire. Once I arrived, I skidded to a stop.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBDl9fJidcH
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"Ya ready!?"209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPi4XibWci7
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡktitV80hVe
"Don't ask! Let's just go!"209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj30m14ysrO
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We barged into the building with the rest of the squad. Nearly half of the members branched from the group to battle the guarding Bringers. I could only catch Lola and Pars before they finished their assault. Their attacks were effective and quickly incapacitated the members, if not outright killed them.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc1wv8Jd6Mt
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I couldn't help but avert my gaze at the bloodshed. Doing so, I noticed I was just about to ram into the person ahead of me. I quickly stopped, grazing the man's coat but narrowly avoiding a clash. I held my hand to my chest, frantically grateful, then stood there wondering why he stopped in the first place209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVEntRzt9Gv
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Fortunately, I was promptly answered.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTgbZt0Om2e
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"Everyone, listen! Form a double-file line with your group! As we ascend floors, the leading team will detach and battle whoever is on that floor! Am I clear!?"209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ89DbvveRys
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YEAH!209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOLeEhvblwt
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I was ready for the roar this time, but still, I shook, because the plan Lola had just created hurled me into a spiral of disorganized questions. But I hadn't the time to even form them; the crowd moved immediately after the instructions were yelled. They went ahead of me, charging, and I would've done nothing but stand there and stare if it wasn't for the smack on my back.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVNzo66TCUJ
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"Ack!"209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE2emI9H8oU
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I flashed my gaze at the culprit: none other than Juke.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW3hLBSHWky
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTcXf6PYcVz
"Now ain't the time, kid! Hurry!"209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFb57AcBG72
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"R-Right!"209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtZY75QnAa5
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I shook my head rapidly as we followed the rest of the group, slapping my cheeks over and over. I almost folded then and there. Chiding myself verbally wouldn't suffice. I quickly resolved myself as we ascended the first set of stairs, disjointed from the rest of the squad. When we arrived at the second floor, the group was still again. I thought for a moment that Lola might've forgotten something, but as I peered around the crowd and saw who stood before us, I became just like them.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO0s4gMXnRx
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"...I wanted to nip it in the bud. But there are many of you."209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzITk92IRD2
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Standing with a pose that revealed no fear, the Harbinger of Anger and a group of lackeys blocked the way.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaxGHqWCboS
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"Crap!"209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoT1OR4aW2F
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I was worried, naturally. Having fought her before, I knew of her strength. But this was a different scenario. This time, I had a group of powerful fighters with me. By our sheer numbers, she shouldn't be a considerable threat.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF0hreDyXbs
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKiwrDVZvLE
However, she still stood like she was. And that– that is what made me shudder.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2yiqcVGApR
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"Well," she started, "make a move, will you? Otherwise, reinforcements will come."209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnnXGFZotbI
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ49DWkECi66
That comment put everyone on high alert, and only made me sweat more profusely. Having just been told that there is a time limit to this operation was a kick to the stomach. I looked at the rest of the crowd. They were brandishing their weapons and seemed to be readying their spells. I raised my tendril, half-heartedly ready to strike.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxkLTwjVccy
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However, nobody made a move. Nobody but Lola, who walked ahead of the crowd, her two-pronged dagger in hand.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5mPMStVZo7
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"I'll handle this one. Everyone, move ahead."209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2n3lHQA8on
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"L-Lola!"209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDwF52BCF6U
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That was Dave's voice. I had never heard him stutter until then.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8yo9Q1mxJV
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"I'll be fine. We don't have time to argue, just move! Go!"209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO1806iy1TP
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And the crowd did. It dispersed throughout the room. I went to the left side, eyeing the Bringers and preparing to respond to any attacks. The Harbinger just clicked her tongue and stepped forward.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ33Yj7q225A
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"This will be easier on me. You and I. Are you ready?"209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN1fZMbSVNA
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"Why, as ready as I'll ever be."209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrKCYlZccrs
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Shockingly, she ignored the rest of us. The few lackey Bringers were overwhelmed by our numbers The rest of the crowd descended, but I hung around for a moment and looked. I started at the floor. I saw blood and torn fabric that didn't come from the enemy, and as I raised my head my gaze fell on the two women.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWYn36wgfaf
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Lola glanced at me. Her face was rigid, but her eyes said enough. I gritted my teeth and ascended the stairs, silently praying.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc9aeDP52WL
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–
–
–209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvvVj8l5dUN
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Provided that she was sober, Lola was extraordinarily talented at keeping a calm face. It was necessitated by her loathsome job. It wasn't just for fighting, but for looking good while doing it, because that was expected for someone in her position.
Lola had no reason to keep that face of hers at that moment, but even if she did, she wouldn't have been able to keep it for long.
"Hah. How oh how did I wind up here?"
Through the rubber grip her dagger slowly slipped from her palms. She tapped on it with her finger rhythmically– pinky first, index last, over and over. It was an instinctive thing for her. It had to be for it to happen because all her being was focused on the monster ahead.
A Harbinger. Elusive as they were, the only thing the highly-positioned such as herself knew was that their powers were mysterious and unpredictable. Fortunately, this one was historically noisy.
"You're the Harbinger of Anger, correct?"
"What's it to you, filth?"
"It wouldn't be wise for me to speak any further. I wouldn't want to leak any secrets, would I?"209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl9YVLsJxma
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTV2Yw6xome
By the standards of the Pillars, the room was spacious. Desks and chairs occupied space intermittently, and none were in such a position that they'd become serious obstructions. Despite the ideal conditions, Lola's brow twitched, because it was the abundance of furniture that allowed her powers to be so effective. And due to the material the foundation and exterior of the building were made of, she had ever greater restrictions.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkniBzHXGPl
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Though, to her irritated admission, it was too risky and tedious to suspend anything bigger than a room.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡitCisOGTmU
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She shifted a leg back and shrunk her posture, pointing her dagger like a cat rearing to pounce. She didn't move, though. Her other hand hid behind her back, expelling mana and forming a mass of rock. The Harbinger tilted her head in response.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG191l4vTB5
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"Do you have something you want to say?"209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjJlJrm1MMk
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Lola slightly shuddered. Her guess was spot-on but said it in a fashion like she had just invaded her mind.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2yKIZhWB3o
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"...A name, perhaps? It's just common courtesy."209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE2xvA8a1wZ
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"Oh, please. You should already know my name."209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡba4nGnV4mY
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"I'm sorry, but all I know is your title."209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ5vAFeUrcB
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The Harbinger threw her head back while rolling her eyes. She opened her mouth as if to respond, but suddenly, she took a defensive stance with her knife with a reverse grip. The shift made Lola jump, and her mana expulsion was interrupted.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbqf0HQVB23
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVIgCeaUJiz
"You're sneaky. I'll have to fight you head-on."209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsq7UCANUYX
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The Harbinger took a similar stance to Lola, reeling her body back, and preparing to dash.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwPVVrXqRTb
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfVGSOHwxvA
"Call me Anima."209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcRbjGfndkZ
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Her words came out of her mouth like hurled stones. Sluggish, spoken through a calm demeanor, they were laced with an apathy that stabbed at Lola's composure. A flurry formed in her chest, the one she felt every time she had to do the dirty part of her job; a putrid, crimson red. Only now, its color was blighted with a grassy yellow. After Lola's initial shock, the change dwindled in power. It was the same business as always, after all.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnlKWieZvA2
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The both of them gazed into each other's eyes. Anima narrowed hers, while Lola's did their best to scan.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZkThmQRaHo
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Then, the Harbinger dashed.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnXH6sRWWi5
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She charged at Lola with brisk steps, holding the knife out like it was a battering ram. Her speed was surprising, but Lola reacted accordingly, dashing backward. Anima clicked her tongue, stopped her advance, and veered to the side. It surprised Lola, but she dispelled it quickly when the image of a flying chair grew closer and closer. She couldn't duck, so she stepped to the side, but an armrest of the chair caught her shoulder.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡadHzsREIDJ
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"Ngh!"209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyDALk9avZE
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It hurt, but a bite on the lips drowned the pain. Anima's absurd move confused her and raised dozens of questions, but she had the time to answer none. Her opponent advanced, getting close enough to attempt a few swings. Lola dodged the first two, but after ducking the third, she pointed her dagger and thrust it at Anima's chest. But though it looked like it was sure to hit, Anima strafed to the side and avoided it perfectly. Lola's body committed to the trajectory of the knife just long enough for Anima to–209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMgppz8dGRW
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**THUD**209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRaypku6M8r
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She delivered a kick to Lola's jaw, disorienting her and sending her rolling across the floor. Though it didn't hurt very much, the hit sent her head spinning. She got up quickly, though staying on her legs was arduous.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEBuLEAJPo3
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She caught Anima sprinting towards her. Too confused to make a complex motion, she simply fell on one of her knees and began mana expulsion.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDCF9XcFYFN
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"--!"209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJtwldXDbus
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Anima backed off, and from where she stood a slab of stone was erected from the ground, only to sloppily fall a second later.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtYM2YPNbOX
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Lola sighed, "There isn't enough space to work with. Tch."209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjlkWH5pdnd
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As she regained her senses, she lamented the state of the room. Even the floor was magic-resistant, making it nigh-impossible to use her earth magic in such an offensive way. She desperately wanted to devise a plan, beginning to regret how carelessly she entered the battle, but her opponent handed her no such luxury.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKQ4yOC5SPk
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Immediately, Anima jumped over the limp stone slab brandishing her knife. Lola was forced again to act defensively, backing away from the aggressive swings of the Harbinger. She swung once and twice, then followed up with a stab. Lola prepared to step back, but a sudden collision halted her.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3SpkdP5f1y
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She had hit a wall.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRigXUGeAyT
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"--!"209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhKn4etwyLW
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If she opted to move her whole body, she'd be punctured. If she stepped to the side the knife would still nip her considerably. Enduring such a taxing injury this early wasn't an option. Thus, instead of moving her body–209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGBaJqquPN2
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**CLING**209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLQfZBAPKlX
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She intercepted Anima's blade with her own, catching it between the dual prongs of her dagger. The Harbinger's eyes widened for a moment, clearly surprised. Lola made note of that as a struggle ensued.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡioEIBiXUbL
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"Huh. I can't break free."209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcagePq51h4
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The serrations on her knife caused it to get caught on the dagger. She couldn't dislodge it, but Lola's weapon was just as stuck as her opponent's. Anima jerked her leg, clearly preparing a kick, but Lola didn't react. The Harbinger delivered a blow to her right. She winced, but in her head, she celebrated.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu0KUkPDGLi
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"--Huh?"209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK2rF7dQ0Ru
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"Caught you!"209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuDQG0WVnx4
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She had Anima's leg wrapped in her arm. She tightened her hold, squeezing hard enough that a lesser fighter's bones would've shattered. Then, she began mana expulsion.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhXLVAW3cuM
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"You!"209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpnIH6JIoL4
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7xMHalhOuJ
Anima's panic was clear and immediate. At first, she attempted to pull her leg out of Lola's grasp, but she could barely make it nudge an inch. It did, however, make a spell difficult to produce.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgEk2PPaCsl
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It was laborious, but Lola was sure that she guaranteed a blow. She formed a blade of earth, focusing on width rather than length, and prepared to blast it through the Harbinger's leg. But then, she suddenly felt a force at her front, and her body jerked forward.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjUp4L2fDGG
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ65b6sGDWbv
The Harbinger freed her knife from Lola's dagger. Of course, it was the obvious decision when she forfeited the support of both arms. Lola had no time to curse herself for her oversight, because now a blade was soaring at her face. She ducked her head in time and, acting on instinct, she tackled Anima with a headbutt to her stomach.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXpnCxS2eug
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"Hrk!"209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX7UlJVyMLj
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIBWS6C2pTv
She recoiled from the blow, taking a few jagged steps back. Lola realized that she let go of her leg, but she still had the stubby cylinder of stone to hurl. And hurl it she did.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWUqvzNxIMT
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The Harbinger still reeled from the strike. Even through her rushed and lousy aim, Lola was confident that her cylinder would slug her opponent's head. Only, that didn't happen.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAVRZWb3OP4
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By an inch the cylinder missed, and it wasn't because Lola aimed poorly, but because the Harbinger let herself stumble onto the ground, landing on her ass.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlPeEPutoJi
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNY4546H8CN
Lola's bewilderment was profound, but she wasn't foolish enough to avoid capitalizing on her opponent's state. She leaped forward and stabbed the dagger from above, but she only hit the ground as the Harbinger rolled away. She hopped on her feet and tossed a haymaker kick that Lola retreated her head just in time for. Anima's follow-up blow was too sudden for Lola to dodge.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrQRqGOJwnx
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMnIo1boIPB
She ate a heel to the head, a strike so fierce she flew to the wall. Fortunately, her chin wasn't hit, so Lola avoided being dazed. But her vision was blurred and her hearing was impaired.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ46pku3AD5A
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZnoASnyEzy
Lola, however, had a spectacular guess as to what her opponent would do next, and so she retaliated. She placed both her hands on the ground, carelessly expelling mana and producing not a slab of earth, but a wave of water.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2LHkOui6En
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtRY3HoSxJS
A few seconds passed until her senses returned. When her vision was clear, she was pleased to find herself still alive, but now the entire room was damp and flooded. Anima was on the other side, similarly drenched, though she clearly suffered no damage.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm2AIU5WljE
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Not that she could muster that much mana, anyway.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHA7HFNccgU
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"...This is irritating."209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFRxIPAYMeh
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6WctCa6QFj
Lola got up to her feet, contorting her face. She made sure to at least keep one eye open because the Harbinger wasn't someone to be lax around. She found it difficult to keep her focus, though.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡojIQmxrNBE
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This moment. This eternal, present moment; how she loathed it. Her opponent was slippery in figure and form, escaping every jab Lola threw her way. And now, the entire floor was ruined. The furniture was maimed and jumbled by the force of the water. The carpet absorbed so much that it looked like it would burst.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7BtfgCcGUL
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYIGjOfdT2K
It had barely been a few minutes, but Lola was beginning to get tired. Her stamina was unusually low, but with how much she drank to suppress her stress, it shouldn't have come as a surprise. She chuckled. For a moment, she had an awful load of clarity.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAdEnw1voMQ
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Giving up became more and more alluring.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcPXZlKykN2
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl3gFWTCoIR
"You're a bizarre woman. You also annoy me greatly."209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9sGsLCdsLm
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3OW4DjpIds
"You find me annoying? Well, the feeling is mutual."209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQcYm6kB7Mn
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRyOub6Yeyf
But she knew better than anyone that she couldn't just... do that. So, she sighed. She sighed and shook her head.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5FUoU9GYVu
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJTbzUl5Rag
The Harbinger looked at her with vigilance. Lola suspected that she had earned some respect from her, but she doubted that would make the fight any easier.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm4Q7Bz5uah
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW7GLgyAMMD
As it was right now, she couldn't make any progress. Anima hadn't even used her magic yet, and yet Lola struggled to deliver a meaningful blow. At the rate she was going, she'd be whittled down, engaged in a battle of attrition she didn't have the mettle to endure.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgy421pP7Nk
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX9ad0BmEV3
But options were scarce. Any direct attack would either be dodged or countered and any spell was either too weak or suffered the same fate. With how aggressive Anima was being, she had no time to imbue the room with her mana.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZcp9KA46lh
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDZx2KEESOt
"...Unless, of course."209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc8mFkNYMz9
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD1AS6q1U72
She had to concede that her opponent was the better fighter in hand-to-hand combat; those few exchanges were all it took for her to realize. But it seemed to Lola that she was the far better mage.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn6YihrBaJr
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtAvAzHXs44
She took a stance, holding her dagger in one hand and keeping her other free. From now on, she would play to her strengths.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCPPaDsGYcT
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGfI5mXZmbR
"I don't like what you're planning!"209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSheagA7h3x
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFHoJIL2Tly
Anima was an opponent who had an impossible ability to predict actions. Anima was an opponent who was cautious about and loathed being confrontational. Yet despite this, she was a skillful aggressor. But she was not impenetrable.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4nfWL7vqCm
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuaRXrf1FdU
As the Harbinger charged for the umpteenth time, Lola remarked at how inconsistent her ability to predict was. The reason for the discrepancy was unknown to her, and she had no opportunity to ponder and deduce it. That, however, would lose all its relevancy if every inch of the room was a weapon.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpBQWDI8RhB
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXOS6WLw2jq
Her approach changed. Anima threw a small ball of fire at Lola, but expecting divergence, Lola was unfazed. She smacked the spell away with her dagger, preparing to back away again, only to hesitate once she noticed how close the Harbinger was. Anima thrust her knife– an action parried by Lola's swift movements. She attempted a riposte, but with a reckless motion, had her dagger countered with a resounding clang.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVlp8aJRctR
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuBt3Ocqv6Z
It became clear to Lola that knifeplay was inimical for progress. Thus, she backed away, a motion that took advantage of Anima's poor posture. The Harbinger clicked her tongue and prepared another spell. It wasn't a haphazard product this time, but a sizeable, dangerous wall of flame. Lola had a skulking smirk, but a telling sea of sweat.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2zAbbJw5jx
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBimIBoibLC
It became time to set her plan in motion. She released the bubbling mana in her hand and suspended it behind her back, then formed a mass of water of similar size. She took great relief in seeing Anima's eyes widen, reeling her arm and flinging her spell.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgTq0VN76ua
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8vjBkGE4eJ
The Harbinger hastily threw her own spell to match Lola's. The two met, and a cloud of vapor burst from the collision, spreading through the entire room instantly. The haze was surprisingly thick; Lola knew that staying in place would only hurt her. She grabbed her suspended mana and continued supplying it, running through the steam and keeping a watchful eye–209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcqbjnZOkip
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4iNzg7CuYF
**THUD**209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBR2Aik13hv
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSJLc934Cuk
But then she felt a great force slam her stomach. She rolled across the room, clutching her gut. It wasn't even remotely a fatal blow, but she cringed as if her organs burst.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoFo6c46GLr
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyxT4S4JARN
She tried to stand on her feet. She was only halfway stable before she caught something shifting in the fog. She jerked to avoid it–209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwtaWLEcKBU
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYqYvgSvNg1
"--Hrk!"209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNpbZ2EBHCY
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLJWAYOHLvl
–but didn't move fast enough for it to miss.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMFlSwgbt6f
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcTu0KNBNIz
Her reaction wasn't a result of instinct, but a habit acquired from her time in the field. She lifted her foot and swiped it in front of her, connecting with something. The steam began to dissipate, and she caught the Harbinger several meters away from her, but now her right femur felt one nudge away from being dislocated from her hip. She dashed away and looked at the new source of pain: her sizzling gash.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDzciDZEPwN
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZOZ7lp53OK
It was on her right shoulder. She was thankful that she wore protective gear, because otherwise the cut could've net her a lost arm. Though, with how much it bled, it was still nothing to scoff at. She collapsed for a moment, scoffing.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtWqTectAdR
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcpLcD5v5LY
"This..."209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa3kqPuoEjG
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1XsZKvTHBt
She hardly had the strength to verbalize her complaints, but her ire wasn't her denied by her sudden dumbness. She paused releasing mana into her spell, suspending it into the air again and performed mana spinning on herself.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhBJfvALcPc
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5rw8fmSk7o
She could only do a little before her opponent returned to harassing her. Lola clicked her tongue, but got on her feet and brandished her dagger.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb6OtiZV9j1
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ69ECKXuBWh
"I couldn't even, wrap it–!"209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrzG9CohYT3
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsKINvGuljk
Lola realized just how much trouble she had keeping calm. It stunned her for a moment, but ultimately, she still decided to challenge Anima's approach.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH0qTzvph1u
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ0RSkP0nCQ
The Harbinger's eyes didn't widen. It was then, she stopped moving.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwhkVkr0Ty6
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8q5oVES3vp
"--sneaky!"209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR8omqCPclU
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡANvi3qMhT9
Anima thrust her knife again, and again Lola parried it with her dagger. It wasn't as impactful, having it be done with her non-dominant hand, and Anima took advantage of it to try a slash. Lola moved reeled her head just in time and retaliate with an upward kick. Anima blocked it with her forearm, though it was only so effective, and since it was Lola's right leg she winced from the move. The Harbinger tried thrusting again, but had her blade caught in between Lola's.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrkB7lhHLUo
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc35eFuyFI4
Instead of baiting a grab, Lola acted fast. She twirled her wrist and jerked her arm to her, weakening Anima's grip, then hurtled her arm the otherway, and Anima's knife flew across the room.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQJ5NSeQIcY
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7lfz8DKy55
Anima seemed rather happy, though, and it was apparent why when Lola received a fist to the face.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ32NkUAiHd9
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOKYyLTnoYo
She managed to brace her jaw before the impace, but it still made her head ring. She was met with another one, and then a third one to her chest.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc4QJfR8TZ7
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡihstBt725Y
And of course, none of them were strong enough to send her flying. It was only after a short flurry, a storm of blows and jabs, that the Harbinger hit her hard enough to create distance.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWymqiW2pEo
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2KGEvCMJUv
Lola didn't roll, but flew straight to the wall, sliding down while coughing and wheezing.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2HLLUl4R9i
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj48iU12FxF
...And I wanted to play to my strengths. What a bitch, this woman...209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdxAvHqTr7Q
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRoxQtiRjfj
She checked her spell and determined it still wasn't ready. Only a little more– only a little more and the battle would finally turn to her side.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUInL8CtX3b
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8BujbZd2Fc
She knew that. She know that, but still, she hardly wanted to get up.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡadB8dF7TLX
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHQgILjTNpF
Even as the Harbinger went to grab her knife, moseying as if she hadn't an opponent at all, she had no drive to stand.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpdlPIfJoCD
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡef68lnSLQ9
So instead, she kept focusing, and focusing, and focusing–209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnfAY617aLX
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv5uQpcj1Jf
"You've been an interesting opponent. I may not show it, but I'm aching. Aching and exhausted."209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO8qmN67Qhg
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡewyaolZZYf
Her gait didn't reflect her words. She trudged firmly.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUO1EfjuA9q
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdXmfThBpo6
"I win, though–"209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7FNtyy2v7V
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5aYDxeF4fZ
Then, at that moment, she displayed the greatest expression of shock. Widened eyes, a sudden jump, and a profound grimace.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ77RruikOUJ
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6BXCDGyxuK
Anima didn't even spare her an insult, she darted her head to the walls and sprinted. Lola eyed her and noticed she was heading to the exit. Then, listlessly slapping her right hand on the floor, her mana permeated throughout the soaked room.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRPWMcbQpJ8
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHzRMPJ5jQy
The effect was immediate. The room's stern architecture dawned a sludge-like form, one that slowed Anima down instantly. She threw Lola a look of scorn and raised her knife, hurling it at her. A piece of the floor rose to intercept it.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf8F5wnW897
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ26acGIUbyj
"I hardly need to think to control this room. It's like Intent in a way, you know?"209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhe9fSs1Jz8
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWs6aBre9Jr
She got on her legs, using a half-broken chair that slid to her as a support. She eyed the Harbinger, who, though still looked furious, was surprisingly calm.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA6pYOHIiu1
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYHUyW5BWgp
"Can't move your legs?"209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHU5ODGzJxG
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfacSGhruQH
"You cheap shit. You're everything I hate about people."209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBRWE6IEPF9
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLpRrrUmn0l
"--Pfff, haha! Where is this coming from?"209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG8su3W5f5H
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtVgiHeZnb3
Even Lola was surprised at her laughter. It detracted her from her disgruntling situation for a moment. She gazed at the Harbinger. She did nothing more but gaze.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKxEqEz8IRp
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ84UeibgboD
"Aren't you going to do something?"209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCK8T232RkF
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡob2Y2uA2tb
"...You're right. Strange, do you want to die? I would've kept you alive a little longer if you hadn't said anything."209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWci7nxJS5S
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjFNxj55Ptk
The Harbinger rolled her eyes in response. Lola commanded the room to form a spike out of the furniture, then created a mock catapult out of the floor.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLViOXCFUok
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6t35j0hJav
It didn't fire immediately, however, because it was at moments like these that Lola always paused before firing.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOAyMgXtAvQ
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR9Gb8BjCOd
That would reveal itself to be a mistake.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡByOFV1rSBJ
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2w62mb2y6z
Anima suddenly ducked and extended her hand, firing a ball of fire that had little time to form, but was strong enough to blast the catapult. Lola was brough back to the present, and again she commanded the room to attack, but as she did, Anima pointed her arms in the opposite direction of the wall, and then–209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpmhBn92x3k
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO7lr9AGdCF
**BOOM**209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4lhum1M7Br
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBqcv5OXpXM
A gust of wind powerful enough to send every unfixed object to the opposite side blew in the room. Lola was sent to the wall, which cushioned her collision instead of exacerbating it, but it still hurt. When she opened her eyes, she saw a giant hole, and her opponent on the other side.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI01wgS8d2N
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYHFp3fs5sl
Anima stood up. Even from this distance, she could make out all the scratches from the debris. They exchanged looks. Lola expected Anima to turn and run, but she approached, stopping short of the hole in the wall.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpVoQsp0bv1
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIp9IWaLk9J
"People like you," she said, pointing her bruised finger, "people like you. You fill me with putrid disgust, so loathsome I oughta spit at you."209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZEQhLxDll6
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhmkrEBCE5F
"--?"209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJO4V7Kaxb2
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqYis0oS6BZ
"Go. Look at me like an oblivious child. It's fitting. It oozed from your every motion."209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4dYfYGm3BQ
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx1OmPT7XRS
She withdrew her head, turned around and ran. Lola was stumped for a moment, but she discarded her words. It was just the deranged ramblings of a Harbinger, after all.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJblAECSa6C
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF8dW5BGiqK
"...Ehh."209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1nlpOwUDKZ
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4MskbUlWS7
She shook her head. She focused on what was before her, what was relevant. She succeeded. That thought rang in her head through the various junk she was preoccupied with.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvsFLg3V4pg
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzexyitGhWX
Yet again, here she was. A job completed, and her neighbors safer.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFMidEBj35N
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMTREZjCwMf
"..."209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBPNA80IyGh
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She wondered how much she'd really mind if the floor didn't stop that knife.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWW7NOByNWf
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaPgHNqShGA
"Mmm, well. Now isn't, the time for that."209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjhTBxQPuLf
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF6UlxTQc8p
The wound on her shoulder still gushed blood. Her energy drained faster because of it, but she had to tend to it to live. She began mana spinning. Still hurt, still tired, still doused.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYZfqE9fOF8
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1BpUJwJ6RC
A new, quiet liquid brushed her cheeks.
209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ1X4Fca3Wd
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